The Olympic Police Support Association (OBA) is launching a major initiative to improve safety in Koreatown, with plans to install about 200 security cameras along major streets. The move comes after the LAPD Olympic Division reported on August 11, that crime rates in Koreatown had declined, though many residents still express concerns about safety.
New OBA President Changyeop Lee, who took office in August 2025, said the group’s core role is to support the LAPD Olympic Division as the city faces budget cuts. “The core is supporting the Olympic Division,” he explained. “OBA fills the gaps where resources are lacking.” Recent contributions include replacing overnight room mattresses that had not been changed since 2009, upgrading worn chairs, and supplying a new meeting screen.
Funding for these efforts comes from golf tournaments, fundraising events, and donations from individuals, companies, and foundations. “All donations are used transparently for OBA activities only,” Lee emphasized.
The new camera project will place surveillance systems along Western Avenue, Olympic Boulevard, Vermont Avenue, and Wilshire Boulevard, with a dedicated monitoring room at the Olympic Division station under consideration. “OBA is a bridge between police and the Korean American community,” Lee said, noting that the group also alerts police to gaps in security and works with community organizations.
Although overall crime has fallen, Lee pointed to continuing problems with violent crime, property crime, and financial scams. “Even I once received an ad promising ‘$10,000 profit for a $5,000 investment,’” he said, stressing the need for greater police focus in Koreatown.
On the Yang Yong case, Lee said it could stand as a precedent for change within the department. Reflecting on the 1992 riots, he contrasted today’s police with the era when then-Chief Daryl Gates was accused of neglecting Koreatown. “At that time, I lost my gas station, but now I support LAPD,” he said.
Lee pledged that his top priority as OBA president is to back the police and ensure the success of the surveillance project. “Even with different backgrounds, safety is guaranteed when police and the Korean American community cooperate,” he added.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
